December 01, 2015
BOARD APPROVES NEW COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT
New Contract Provides Union Employees Improvements to Wages and Pension
ALBANY, N.Y. The Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) Board of Directors approved a new three-year contract between CDTA and the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1321 at their monthly Board Meeting Wednesday. The three-year package provides improvements to wages and benefits, while providing appropriate management oversight regarding work assignment and service quality.
“I am pleased that we were able to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement with the leadership of the Amalgamated Transit Union, said CDTA Board Chairman, David M. Stackrow. “The three year contract is fair for our employees, fair for CDTA and good for our customers.”
The contract passed with a membership vote of 363 to 56. It provides a working structure regarding how work is accomplished, while continuing to offer competitive wages and benefits for employees. The contract reflects the positive relationship between CDTA and the ATU and the concern and appreciation for employees.
“I am extremely proud of our bargaining team for their persistence and focus on detail in achieving this new contract, which provides improvements to benefits and wages.” said ATU Local 1321 Business Agent Steven M. Moquin. “I want to thank our ATU membership for standing behind us throughout this process.”
Approximately 580 union-represented employees are covered by the contract, which will run until June 2018.
In Other News:
- System ridership totaled 1.44 million boardings, which is up 2% from November 2014 (1.4 million). STAR boardings were up slightly in November, totaling 25,703. Eight months into the fiscal year, system-wide ridership is up slightly from the same period last year, with a total of 11.5 million boardings.
- The Board also approved the purchase of a new state-of-the-art radio system that will modernize the way CDTA operators, supervisors, and managers communicate. The system is made up of advanced technologies that will improve service safety, reliability, and efficiency. The contract was awarded to Motorola Solutions, Inc. of Montvale, New Jersey.
ABOUT CDTA: The Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) was created in 1970 by the New York State Legislature as a public benefit corporation to provide regional transportation services by rail, bus, water and air. CDTA is the premier mobility provider in the Capital Region, providing local, express, commuter and bus rapid transit services. CDTA owns and operates the Rensselaer Rail and Saratoga Springs Train Stations. Today, nearly 650 people work to deliver a transit system that transports 60,000 customers each weekday.